Meat cutting gauge



MEAT CUTTING GAUGE Filed Oct, 18 1945 INVENTOR.

4 Trop/slay Patentecl Feb. 14, 1950 ENT OFFICE "Grover R. Henney, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Swift &Compan`y,`Chicago,k I ll., a corporation of Illi- Application ocmberis, 1945, serial 10.623,153

claims. (c1. 33-18'9) This invention relates to improvements in gauges and has particular reference to a gauge for use in cutting meat, especialy beef, in accordance with oincial specications for standard cuts. The invention, however, is not to be considered as limited to any special use but as for an improved gauge device for any use for which it may be found to be adapted.

Specific specifications are often authorized for the preparation of standard commercial cuts of meat.

These specifications are denite and exact and it is apparent that an attempt to prepare standardmeat cuts according to these speciiications relying on visual estimates of dimensions Would result in failure to comply specifically with the specifications and in large variations between standard cuts having the same specification.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive gauge device by means of which the specied dimensions may be quickly and easily determined by the meat cutter preparing the cuts for commercial distribution.

A further object resides in the provision of an improved gauge device of the character indicated which combines in one instrument all the necessary dimensions for preparing a standard out of meat according to ofcial specications.

.A still further object resides in the provision of an improved gauge of the character indicated by means of which the verious required dimensions may be quickly and easily determined with-` out the necessity of highly developed skill on the part of the operator.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing and :from the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts throughout, Figure l is a plan view of a front quarter of beef showing the manner in which the improved gauge may be utilized to determine the proper dimensions for a standard rib cut; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improved gauge.

With continued reference to the drawing, the beef quarter, generally indicated at I0, has along one edge thereof ar series of articulated vertebrae I2 to which corresponding ribs I4 are connected and extend through the beef quarter.

The gauge, generally indicated at I6 and shown in operative position in Figure 1 and in detail in Figure 2, comprises a at banportion I8 having at one end an extension 20 of rounded or circular cross-section terminatingin a head 22 of somewhat pyramidal shape provided with a cutting or marking edge 24 along one side of its base portion. At its end opposite the marking head 22, the bar portion i8 is provided along the edge corresponding to the marking edge 24 with a pair of notches as indicated at 26 and 28 which are located a definite specified distance from thecutting edge 24 in accordance with the dimensions set forth in the standard specifications. 'Ihe bar also has upon one or both sides thereof additional indicia 3U and 32 in the form of grooves or scratches cut or etched into the surface of the bar.

In using the improved gauge as a measuring toolv for determining the proper dimensions of a standard rib cut, the notch 28 is placed on the center of the inside protruding edge of the twelfth thoracic vertebra and a mark is scribed with the edge 24 on the inside of the twelfth rib. This operation is repeated on the sixth rib and the sixth thoracic vertebra. The two marks thus made with the scribing edge 24 are then connected by a straight line which defines the cutting line at which the rib cut is severed from the adjacent short plate cut. The other dimensions on the strip such as the notch 2B and the indicia 30 and 32 are used in various operations such as the preparation of oven-prepared ribs and in trimming fat and determining other prescribed dimensions. In the device shown, the mark 32 is one inch from the adjacent end of the gauge and the mark 3|] is two inches from the same end of the gauge, the notch 28 is exactly ten inches from the end of the scribing edge 24 and the notch 2B is eight inches from the edge 24. These dimensions, however, may be varied as may be convenient or necessary Without in any way exceeding the scope of the invention.

The invention provides a simple and inexpensive measuring device by means of which the prescribed dimensions of a standard meat cut may be quickly and easily determined by an operator without the necessity of highly developed skill and which combines a large number of useful dimensions in a single instrument.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative yand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and language of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A meat cutting gauge comprising an elongated flat bar portion, a scribing head at one end of said bar portion, and a portion of generally circular cross section between said bar portion and said head, said bar portion having a notch in one edge thereof at a prescribed distance. from said head, and said head being generally pyramidal in form and having a vscribing edge alongv at least one side of its base portion.

2. A gauge as defined in claim 1 wherein said bar portion is provided with measuring indicia along one side of the bar on the end portion opposite said head.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS yNumber Name Date 363,331 Hammer May 17, 1887 1,021,692 McAnelly Mar. 26, 1912 1,326,807 McDanel Oct. 13, 1931 1,959,022 Donahue May 15, 1934 2,044,841 Fredberg et al June 23, 1936 2,245,350 Marshall June 10, 1941 

